Process and apparatus for treating ampoules and similar containers



Jan. 14, 1969 w. PECHMANN PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR TREATING AMPOULE ANDSIMILAR CONTAINERS Sheet Filed Feb. 8,

INVENTOR:

U/u/L-LM PEcmMm/ BY men: s smqer lu's arrow V Jan. 14, 1969 w. PECHMAN NS AND APPARATUS FOR TREATING AMPOULE PROCES AND SIMILAR CONTAINERS SheetFiled Feb. 8, 1963 3%8 Tmko f 0Q NN u@ S IN VE N TOR A/IL an H rcmwv MMhis 417-02415) Jan. 14, 1969 AND SIMILAR CONTAINERS Filed Feb. 8, 1963Sheet comp/25550;?

N VE N TOR Mum M Pe'mmvm/ B mu'hul 5- S'& :1 ){e United States Patent St18,844 US. Cl. 21-80 Int. Cl. B08b 3/10 The present invention relates totreatment of ampoules and similar containers, and more particularly to aprocess and apparatus for treating with hot fluids the interior ofopen-ended ampoules, bottles and other types of containers which consistof vitreous, metallic or synthetic plastic material.

It is an important object of the present invention to provide a processfor cleaning, and particularly for sterilizing, of ampoules and similarcontainers with a hot fluid according to which the fluid is heated andconveyed into the interior of containers in such a way that thepossibility of contamination of hot fluid by contact with atmosphericair or with spent cleaning fluids is avoided in a very simple andefficient manner.

Another object of the invention is to provide a process of the justoutlined characteristics which is especially suited for treatment ofampoules and similar containers in pharmaceutical plants, in bottlingplants, and in other mass-manufacturing establishments wherein largequantities of containers must be processed within short periods of time.

A further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus which maybe utilized for the practice of my method and which is constructed andassembled in such a way that an exceptionally large number of similar ordifferent treating stations may be accommodated in a small area.

An additional object of my invention is to provide an improvedfluid-conveying tube which may be utilized in an apparatus of the justoutlined characteristics and which enables such apparatus to operatesatisfactorily even though the apparatus comprises a smaller number ofcomponent parts than certain conventional apparatus for treat ment ofampoules and similar containers of which I have knowledge at this time.

A concomitant object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of theabove outlined characteristics wherein streams or jets of fluid used atone or more treating stations are heated in a fully automatic manner ontheir way into the respective containers and by prevention of contactwith atmospheric air.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus forcleaning of ampoules wherein hot fluid used to clean and to sterilize orto dry the ampoules is prevented from exchanging heat with air or withthe component parts of the apparatus subsequent to its heating and whileit flows into the respective containers.

With the above objects in view, one feature of my invention resides inthe provision of a process for cleaning the interior of open-endedampoules and similar containers with a fluid, preferably with compressedair or another gas, comprising the steps of conveying the fluid in anelongated path which is sealed from the atmosphere and which extendsthrough the open end of and discharges the fluid at a point in theinterior of a container, and heating the fluid (preferably tosterilization temperature) while the fluid flows in a portion of thepath which is closely adjacent to the point of discharge. In accordancewith a more specific feature of the invention, the path for the fluid isdefined by an elongated fluid-conveying tube at least a portion of whichconsists of current-conducting 5 Claims material and which is heated inresponse to flow of electric current therethrough. Such portion of thetube then constitutes a heating coil which automatically heats the fluidwhile the fluid flows from the intake end of the tube which is connectedto a suitable source of fluid (such as an air compressor) and toward andthrough the discharge end of the tube which latter is adapted to extendthrough the open end and to discharge the fluid in the interior of anampoule or another container which must be cleaned (e.g., sterilized) bycontact with a hot fluid. If the coil is heated to about 400 C. and ifthe length of a suitable convoluted coil is about 2 m., air flowingthrough such coil may be heated to a temperature of about 300 C. whichis normally suflicient to insure satisfactory sterilization of anampoule even if the air is not caused to pass through one or moremicrofilters such as are used to separate bacteria from the body of amoving fluid.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic of theinvention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. Theapparatus itself, however, both as to its construction and its method ofoperation, together with additional features and advantages thereof,Will be best understood from the following detailed description ofcertain specific embodiments with reference to the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic side elevational view of an apparatus whichembodies the invention, the housing of the apparatus and certain otherparts being shown in vertical section;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged transverse vertical section as seen in thedirection of arrows from the line II-II of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is an elevational view of a portion of a different apparatuswhose carrier for one or more fluid-conveying tubes is shown in verticalsection.

Referring now in greater detail to the drawings, and first to FIG. 1,there is shown an apparatus serving as a means for cleaning (includingsterilizing), filling and sealing of ampoules 10 or similar containerswhich are intermittently advanced in an elongated horizontal path by thelower run 11 of an endless conveyor 11. The ampoules 10 are arranged ina series of longitudinally and transversely aligned parallel rows, onesuch longitudinal row having been shown in FIG. 1, and their open ends10a (also called spears) extend upwardly and through the interstices ofthe conveyor 11. The exact construction of this conveyor forms no partof my invention. It suffices to say that the conveyor 11 is trainedaround a pair of spaced wheels 11a, 11b at least one of which is drivento intermittently advance the lower run 11' in a direction from the leftto the right, as viewed in FIG. 1, and that the conveyor comprises aseries of longitudinally and transversely extending wire-like flexibleelements defining longitudinally and transversely aligned rows ofinterstices each of which may receive and retain the spear 10a of anampoule 10. Rows of open-ended ampoules 10" are fed into the lower run11' of the conveyor 11 by a suitable feeding device F which is locatedat one end of the conveyor, and a collecting device C receives rows ofsealed ampoules 10" at the other end of this conveyor. The entireapparatus is accommodated in a housing H which is substantially sealedfrom the atmosphere so that all cleaning, filling and sealing operationsmay be carried out at pressures higher than atmospheric pressure.

Intermediate the ends of the conveyor 11, there is provided a series oftreating stations including a plurality of washing stations 12, aplurality of sterilizing stations 12a, at least one filling station 13,a heat-sealing station 14 which is located immediately downstream of thefilling station, as seen in the direction of movement of the lower run11, and tip collecting station 14a whose tip collecting and transferringelements or grippers 14b transfer portions of spears a onto anevacuating conveyor or chute 140. Such tips are separated from thesealed spears 10a by the grippers 14b subsequent to the heat-sealingstep. It will be noted that the heretofore described treating stationsare located between the upper and lower runs 11', 11" of the endlessconveyor 11. Additional treating stations 12b which also serve to cleanthe ampoules and/or to collect the cleaning media are located at a levelbelow the lower run 11.

Each of the treating stations 12, 12a, 13, 14 comprises one or more rowsof vertical tubes or needles 15 which are suspended on a commonreciprocating means here shown as a carrier 16, and this carrier isreciprocable along a plurality of spaced vertical uprights 16a to movethe needles 15 downwardly (arrow 18) and into the interior of therespective ampoules 10 or upwardly (arrow 17) so as to withdraw thedischarge ends (i.e., the lower ends) of the needles from the respectiveampoules. The arrangement is such that each longitudinal and eachtransverse row of needles 15 is aligned with an ampoule 10 between eachpair of consecutive intermittent movements of the lower run 11. In FIG.1, the carrier 16 is shown in its upper end position whereby thedischarge ends of the needles 15 are lifted above and away from therespective spears 10a. Of course, the intervals between the intermittentmovements of the lower run 11' are long enough to insure that the mediawhich is admitted into the interior of the ampoules 10 at the variouscleaning stations 12, 12a may take full effect. Thus, an ampoule whichhas entered the first cleaning station 12 may be rinsed with cold water,and such ampoule is thereupon rinsed once, twice, or more often with hotwater or with another liquid at the next cleaning stations 12. The thusrinsed ampoule is thereupon dried by jets of hot gases at one or moreadditional cleaning stations and is subsequently advanced to the firstof three sterilizing stations 12:: at each of which its interior istreated with a hot fluid, such as atmospheric air which is admitted atelevated pressure.

It goes without saying that a simplified version of my apparatus mayutilize a conveyor which is adapted to support only one or a limitednumber of longitudinally extending rows of suspended ampoules, or thatthe ampoules may be arranged in staggered rows or in specially arrangedgroups. Of course, the distribution of various treating stations is thensuch that their needles are aligned with and may extend into theinterior of such staggered rows or otherwise arranged groups ofampoules. Such modifications are too obvious to require separateillustration.

The present invention is more specifically concerned with theconstruction of the needles 15, and particularly of such needles whichare used to convey a heated fluid into the interior of the respectiveampoules. One transversely extending row of such needles is shown inFIG. 2 which illustrates that the row contains twelve needles. Acomparison of FIGS. 1 and 2 will indicate that the lower run 11' of theconveyor 11 may support several hundred ampoules so that the illustratedapparatus is especially suited for mass-treatment of ampoules andsimilar containers in pharmaceutical plants, in bottling plants and insimilar establishments wherein each container must undergo a series oftreatments prior to being filled with a fluid or comminuted substance.

It is assumed that the needles 15 of FIG. 2 are mounted at one of thesterilizing stations 12:: at which rows of washed and dried ampoules 10are treated with a hot gas, such as air, to insure that each ampoule isproperly sterilized prior to reaching a filling station. Each needle 15assumes the form of an elongated fluid-conveying tube which comprises alower end portion 150:, a helically convoluted median portion or heatingcoil 15c, and a vertical upper end portion 1512 which is preferablycoaxial with the lower end portion. The fluid-evacuating discharge end28 of each portion 15a may extend through the spear 10a and into theinternal space 10b of a momentarily aligned ampoule 10, see FIG. 3. Atleast the median portion 15b of each needle 15 consists ofcurrentconducting material, such as steel, which is heated in responseto flow of electric current therethrough.

As shown in FIG. 2, the lower end portions 15a of the row of needles 15extend through and are supported by a horizontal bar 18a which islocated at a level below and which is suspended on a second horizontalbar 17a. This bar 17a is secured to the carrier 16 so that it mayreciprocate in directions indicated in FIG. 1 by the arrows 17, 18 andto respectively move the lower ends 28 into the interior of or upwardlyand away from the momentarily aligned ampoules. The bar 17a constitutesa bus bar and is connected to a power source 19a by means of a conductor19. This power source may comprise a suitable source of electricalenergy and a transformer or the like. The lower bar 18a is a conductorof electric current and is provided with a ground connection 20 so thatthe electric circuit of the source 19a is completed as soon as thissource supplies electric current through the conductor 19, the currentthen flowing through the bus bar 17a, through the coils 150, through thebus bar 18a, and to the ground connection 20. Thus, the conductor 17aand the connection 20 together constitute a means for applying electriccurrent from the source 19a to the needles 15. It will be noted that thebus bar 17a is insulated from the carriage 16 by suitable insulators 21,and the arrangement of FIG. 2 further comprises a second set ofinsulators 22 which prevent direct flow of electric current from theupper bus bar 17a to the lower bar 1811. The ground connection 20 may bein sliding contact with the grounded housing H. It is assumed that theampoules consist of glass, but it is equally possible to utilizecontainers which consist of suitable metallic or synthetic plasticmaterial.

FIG. 2 shows the manner in which the longitudinally and transverselyextending flexible elements of the lower conveyor run 11' forminterstices for reception of spears 10a.

FIG. 3 shows on a greatly enlarged scale a single needle 15 which isidentical with the needles 15 of FIG. 2 but which is connected with anon-illustrated source of electrical energy in a somewhat different way.In this embodiment of my invention, the upper end of the heating coil150 is connected directly with a conductor 23 which leads to atransformer or directly to a suitable source of electrical energy, notshown. The lower end 15c" of the coil 15c is connected with a secondconductor 23a which constitutes a ground connection. The conductors 23,23a are respectively connected with current-conducting sleeves 24, 24awhich are welded or soldered to the ends 150, 15c" and which arerespectively surrounded by insulators 25, 25a provided in the horizontalwalls of a receptacle 26 which accommodates the coil 15c. As shown inFIG. 3, the receptacle 26 forms part of a carriage which serves as ameans to reciprocate the needle 15 in directions indicated by the arrows17, 18, and the position of the receptacle 26 is such that the lower endportion 15a of the needle extends through the open end 10a and that thedischarge end 28 of this lower end portion may evacuate a jet of hot airor another fluid directly into the internal space 10b of the ampoule 10.The upper end portion 15b has a fluid-receiving upper end which isconnected to a conduit 27 containing a valve 27a and connected to asuitable source of fluid, such as an air compressor 28.

For example, the overall length of the convoluted median portion 15bwhich constitutes a heating coil may be about 2 m., and this coil may beheated to a temperature of about 400 C. to insure that the fluid flowingtherethrough is heated to the sterilization temperature. If the fluid isair, it is advisable to heat such air to a tem perature of about 300 C.which is sufficient to insure satisfactory sterilization of the ampouleeven if the air is not conducted through a microfilter, such as thefilter 29 in the conduit 27, which serves to separate bacteria from thefluid. If desired, the valve 27a may open and close in synchronism withreciprocatory movements of the receptacle 26 to insure that thecompressor 28 is sealed from the coil 150 at the time the discharge end28 is withdrawn from the interior of an ampoule and that the valveremains closed until after the end 28 enters the interior of the nextampoule.

The conduit 27 may assume the form of a flexible pipe of rubber orsynthetic plastic. However, it is equally possible to mount thecompressor 28 directly on the receptacle 26 so that the compressor mayshare all reciprocatory movements of the needle. In such instances, theend portion b may be connected directly with an outlet of thecompressor.

It will be readily understood that the receptacle 26 may accommodate oneor more longitudinally or transversely aligned rows of needles 15 sothat this receptacle then constitutes a portion of or the entire carrier16 of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1. Furthermore, the compressor 28 maybe replaced by a source of liquid if the needles 15 of the type shown inFIGS. 2 and 3 are utilized to convey and to simultaneously heat a liquidtreating medium. The temperature of the coils 150 will depend on thestrength of the electric current and on the characteristics of thematerial of Which the needles are made. It will be noted, particularlyin FIG. 3, that the coils 150 are closely adjacent to the discharge ends28 so that the fluid passing through the lower ends 15c" of such coilshas no time to become cooled prior to entering the internal spaces ofthe respective ampoules.

Referring again to FIG. 1, the arrangement at the sterilizing stations12a is preferably such that the temperature of fluid admitted into theampoules at the first sterilizing station is sufliciently high to insurethat the ampoules remain sterilized on their way to the secondsterilizing station, and the same applies to the travel of ampoulesbetween the second and third sterilizing stations. Of course, it is notalways necessary that the needles at each of the sterilizing stations beheated to identical temperature; thus, the heating action of needles atthe first sterilizing station may be higher than the action of needlesat the second sterilizing station, or the temperature of fluiddischarged at the third sterilizing station may be higher than that ofthe fluid which is discharged at the first two sterilizing stations.Also, and as explained hereinabove, the number of sterilizing stationsmay .be reduced to a single station or to two stations, but it is alsopossible to provide four, five or more sterilizing stations, dependingon the nature of the material which is to fill the ampoules and oncertain other factors.

In certain conventional ampoule-treating machines of which I haveknowledge at this time, the needles which are utilized at the variouscleaning, filling and other stations of such machines are connected withsources of heated fluid so that the fluid might become cooled on its waytoward the ampoules. In certain other types of machines, special heatingdevices are provided in the connections between the needles and therespective sources of fluid. Such machines occupy too much space whichis at a premium and, furthermore, the cost of known heating devices israther high. Since a large number of treating stations is normallyaccommodated in a common housing, and since the provision of needleswhich simultaneously constitute heating means for the conveyed fluidpermits elimination of all special heating devices, the apparatus of myinvention is much more compact than and may be constructed at a costsubstantially below the cost of conventional apparatus.

Owing to the fact that the heating coils 150 may be located in closeproximity of the open spears 10a of the ampoules, the air or other fluidwhich is heated by exchanging heat with the walls of the needles remainsat desired temperature at the time it reaches the interior of theampoules. Furthermore, there is no possibility that such heated fluidwould mix with atmospheric air on its ways in the path defined by therespective needles. This is in contrast with the aforementionedconventional apparatus wherein the fluid is heated in the compressorproper or wherein the fluid is heated on its way toward the ampoules. Insuch apparatus, there is much more opportunity for heated fluid to comein contact with and to be cooled and/or contaminated by air which fillsthe interior of the housing.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist ofthe present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge,readily adapt it for various applications without omitting featuresthat, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly consititue essentialcharacteristics of the generic and specific aspects of this inventionand, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to becomprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of thefollowing claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. An apparatus for cleaning and sterilizing the interior of open endedampoules and similar containers with a fluid, comprising, incombination, at least one fluid conveying tube having a first endportion adapted to be connected to a supply of fluid, a substantiallyrectilinear second end portion having an open end adapted to extendthrough an open end of an ampoule and similar container, and anintermediate helically convoluted tube portion extending between andbeing integrally connected at opposite ends with said tube end portions,at least said helically convoluted tube portion being ofcurrent-conducting material; means for applying electrical energy tosaid tube so that electrical current will flow at least through saidhelically convoluted portion to thereby heat fluid passing therethroughbefore it is discharged through the open end of said rectilinear secondend portion; conveyor means for intermittently moving a series of openended containers along a predetermined path so as to align said open endof said second end ponion of said tube with the open end of said onecontainer between the intermittent movements of said containers alongsaid path; and means for moving said tube and at least said onecontainer relative to each other in direction of said rectilinear secondend portion so as to extend said rectilinear end portion in said openend of said one container to introduce heated fluid into the latter andto withdraw said end portion from said container to permit furthertransportation of the latter along said path.

2. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein a plurality offluid-conveying tubes are arranged substantially parallel to each otherwith the open ends of said second end portions spaced from each other ina given direction, and wherein said conveyor means intermittently movesaid series of open-ended containers along a path extending in saiddirection so as to align the second end portions of said plurality oftubes respectively with the open ends of said containers betweenintermittent movement of said containers along said path.

3. An apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein said reciprocating meanscooperate with said tubes for reciprocating the latter toward and awayfrom said path so as to introduce said second end portions into therespective containers when the tubes are moved in a first direction andto withdraw said second end portions from the respective containers whenthe tubes are moved in the opposite direction.

4. An apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein said fluid passed throughsaid tubes is a gas and including a source of compressed gas incommunication with the first end portion of each tube.

5. An apparatus as defined in claim 4, wherein the resistance of thecurrent-conductive material of said helically convoluted portion and theelectric energy supplied thereto are such that the compressed gas whilepassing through said helically convoluted portion is heated up tosterilization temperature.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Swanson 141-8 Dunham 2179 XTaylor 2179 Ledbetter 219-275 X Hoffman 141-82 Kiefer 134-79 Wright134-131 Ball 141-82 Vrusho 21-78 Risser 34-105 X 8 Alling et al 34-105Murch 21-78 Jensen 21-79 Herold 134-131 Price 134-30 XR Phillips 134-23Loliger 21-2 McCollum 212 Umbricht 13423 MORRIS O. WOLK, PrimaryExaminer.

I. ZATARGA, Assistant Examiner.

U.S. Cl. X.R.

1. AN APPARATUS FOR CLEANING AND STERILIZING THE INTERIOR OF OPEN ENDEDAMPOULES AND SIMILAR CONTAINERS WITH A FLUID, COMPRISING IN COMBINATION,AT LEAST ONE FLUID CONVEYING TUBE HAVING THE FIRST END PORTION ADAPTEDTO BE CONNECTED TO A SUPPLY OF FLUID, A SUBSTANTIALLY RECTILINEAR SECONDEND PORTION HAVING AN OPEN END ADAPTED TO EXTEND THROUGH AN OPEN END OFAN AMPOULE AND SIMILAR CONTAINER, AND AN INTERMEDIATE HELICALLYCONVOLUTED TUBE PORTION EXTENDING BETWEEN AND BEING INTEGRALLY CONNECTEDAT OPPOSITE ENDS WITH TUBE END PORTION, AT LEAST SAID HELICALLYCONVOLUTED TUBE PORTION BEING OF CURRENT-CONDUCTING MATERIAL; MEANS FORAPPLYING ELECTRICAL ENERGY TO SAID TUBE SO THAT ELECTRICAL CURRENT WILLFLOW AT LEAST THROUGH SAID HELICALLY CONVOLUTED PORTION TO THEREBY HEATFLUID PASSING THERETHROUGH BEFORE IT IS DISCHARGED THROUGH THE OPEN ENDOF SAID RECILINEAR SECOND END PORTION; CONVEYOR MEANS OF INTERMITTENTLYMOVING A SERIES OF OPEN ENDED CONTAINERS ALONG A PREDETERMINED PATH SOAS TO ALIGN SAID OPEN END OF SAID SECOND END PORTION OF SAID TUBE WITHTHE OPEN END OF SAID ONE CONTAINER BETWEEN THE INTERMITTENT MOVEMENTS OFSAID CONTAINERS ALONG SAID PATH; AND MEANS FOR MOVING SAID TUBE AND ATLEAST SAID ONE CONTAINER RELATIVE TO EACH OTHER IN DIRECTION OF SAIDRECTILINEAR SECOND END PORTION SO AS TO EXTEND SAID RECTILINEAR ENDPORTION IS SAID OPEN END OF SAID ONE CONTAINER TO INTRODUCE HEATED FLUIDINTO THE LATTER AND TO WITHDRAW SAID END PORTION FROM SAID CONTAINER TOPERMIT FURTHER TRANSPORTATION OF THE LATTER ALONG SAID PATH.